AOA announces resignation from NAVCP
January 14, 2010The AOA has formally resigned from the organization that represents vision care plans over divergent views on health care reform. The National Association of Vision Care Plans (NAVCP), which represents the industry’s largest vision care providers, had initiated a lobbying campaign in the summer that was directly at odds with the AOA’s goal of ensuring that optometrists are integrated into the mainstream of medical care.
“During the AOA’s Washington advocacy on behalf of practicing optometrists, it became clear that the views of the AOA, which represents practicing optometrists, and the views of NAVCP, which represents insurance companies, were incompatible,” said AOA President Randy Brooks, O.D. “We are focused on an integrative model of care, in which ODs are treated the same as other health care providers and in which optometrists have the greatest access to patients. That focus is aligned with our objective of fighting against discrimination and fighting for parity with other providers.”
Dr. Brooks noted that the AOA’s continued participation as a member of the NAVCP “erodes our arguments for anti-discrimination legislation. It is vitally important that our patients’ health be foremost in any health care reform plan and that the AOA be seen unequivocally as the voice for patient care.”
Dr. Brooks told the AOA News that by resigning from NAVCP, the AOA will also be able to better counter misinformation campaigns that have been employed by some vision care plans.
“Comprehensive eye and vision care is a necessary part of any quality health care program, and our approach ensures patient access to optometrists. Vision plans continue to serve an important role for patients and our practices, and the AOA remains committed to a full and open dialogue with vision plans that are focused on expanding access to the full scope of care provided by optometrists and to offering equitable reimbursement.”
The full text of the letter to NAVCP follows:
“Following years of planning, preparation and public scrutiny of our priorities, the AOA mobilized in 2009 to place expanded patient access to vision and eye health care at the center of the reform debate in Washington, D.C. AOA’s advocacy efforts draw on our longstanding commitment to ensuring that it is optometrists who will define optometry, as well as the full engagement of the AOA Board and volunteers, state affiliate leaders and member doctors, students and patients from thousands of communities across the country.
“As you know, there are important AOA-backed provisions in the Senate and House health care bills aimed at making comprehensive eye and vision care a top national health priority, protecting existing coverage for our patients in medical and vision plans while mandating new vision benefits for millions of uninsured Americans, establishing provider non-discrimination safeguards and expanding recognition of ODs in federal health programs. Although individual ODs may personally oppose or support the sweeping legislation taking shape on Capitol Hill, virtually all recognize the importance of the AOA’s efforts to be actively involved in the legislative process and ensure that the concerns of optometrists and our patients are being heard loud and clear by every U.S. senator and representative.
“Similarly, last year, the AOA joined your organization in the hope that the needs of patients and the specific concerns of ODs would be considered and, could serve as the basis for joint understanding and, possibly, joint action. Unfortunately, since then, we’ve seen optometrists excluded from your internal discussions about health care reform and blocked from having any role in the development of your legislative agenda. Having now seen this agenda – which seeks to give insurers the power to determine how ODs will practice and provide care for decades to come – and the misinformation on which it is apparently based, it’s clear why privacy was needed.
“Of course, a more urgent concern is the assertion that your organization speaks not only for insurers, but for all optometrists and patients across America as well. This approach, coming at such an especially crucial moment for our profession, represents a profound disservice to optometry.
“As frontline providers of care, optometrists recognize the role of insurers in the health care system. We remain prepared to begin or continue a dialog with companies and organizations willing to work with us to advance patient access and quality care. However, given what we’ve come to know about your organization, its priorities and tactics, I would ask that you consider this official notice of the AOA’s resignation as a member effective immediately.”
